UTERMuskellunge fishing in Lake Michigan
In Lake Michigan, muskellunge peak May and September–November and are around May–November, spawning in May, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. September: Pere Marquette, Big Manistee, the Root and the Kewaunee — skein and spawn, flies in the flies-only water.
Tail of the run; browns and steelhead follow; Green Bay muskie. Steelhead behind the salmon; big browns in the harbors; Green Bay's trophy muskie season.
Muskellunge in Lake Michigan, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MaySpawning
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberPeakThe salmon run. Pere Marquette, Big Manistee, the Root and the Kewaunee — skein and spawn, flies in the flies-only water.
- OctoberPeakTail of the run; browns and steelhead follow; Green Bay muskie. Steelhead behind the salmon; big browns in the harbors; Green Bay's trophy muskie season.
- NovemberPeakFall steelhead, browns on the piers, whitefish run. Spawn bags in the river pools; whitefish into the Menominee and the harbors.
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish muskellunge near Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph
The salmon lake: open water to 900 feet with kings and coho over the thermocline, the river mouths and pier heads of Michigan's west coast where the runs stage, the shallow southern end where the spring coho come in, and Green Bay — a walleye, pike, muskie, perch and whitefish fishery all its own.
Fish Scouter charts 434 lake, 75 reservoir spots in the Lake Michigan map area — the kinds muskellunge hold on.
What to use for muskellunge
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 38–82°F water, best at 55–75°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch muskellunge in Lake Michigan?
Peak season is May and September–November, with fish spawning in May (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Muskellunge are in Lake Michigan May–November.
Where do muskellunge hold in Lake Michigan?
Look on lake, river — around Chicago, Michigan City, St. Joseph, Ludington, Manistee, Milwaukee.
What is the best bait for muskellunge in Lake Michigan?
Live bait: minnows (fatheads, shiners). Minnows (fatheads, shiners): Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
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All about muskellunge · Lake Michigan, the whole year